Exotic Insect Delicacies of the Future (Not for the Squeamish)

How do Madagascar hissing cockroaches soaked in whiskey with a hint of citrus sound as an appetizer? Python patties with applewood smoked bacon? How about stir-fried jellyfish, or scorpions, or alligator; how about kangaroo?

One NY chef thinks this is the food of the future. And why not? As the planet's resources dwindle beneath the pressures of an ever-booming population, we may be forced to dine on these arthropodic--and other exotic--delicacies.

Chef Gene Rurka is serving just these dishes at the famed Explorers Club annual dinner held at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City tonight. The black-tie affair hosts world explorers, modern-day adventurers and their wealthy patrons. More than a few guests have climbed Mount Everest, walked on the moon, and visited the deepest depths of the ocean--a small entrance requirement necessary to indulge in tarantula fritters.

Rurka believes his dishes represent the food of the future. He points out that not only may it become a future necessity, but that insects and other exotic fare are already common foods in many cultures. True that.

And chef believes that it's all in the presentation anyway. He uses a distinct method to ensure that the roaches look alive as they are served, by freezing them to death; then he soaks them in whiskey to bring them back to room temperature. He then injects them with Tasmanian leatherwood honey and a bit of soy sauce for a sweet-salty kick. Nice.


Hey, who can argue with that? Watch the video below to enjoy some of chef Rurka's concoctions. I especially enjoy the woman who proclaims, "I just had the pork testicles, cooked in blood." Right. Bon Appetit.

Planet You

You are what you eat has never rung more true.  No, you will not turn into a Twinkie...but the microorganisms in your gut respond and change according to what you eat.  So says a recent study out of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine that showed changes in diet can affect the virus populations that live in your gut.

"Our bodies are like coral reefs, inhabited by many diverse creatures interacting with each other and with us," senior author Frederic Bushman.

The researchers looked at gut virus populations of six volunteers assigned to eat either a high-fat/low-fiber diet, a low-fat/high-fiber diet or an ad-lib diet.  The researchers analyzed DNA from viruses in the stool of the participants over eight days and found that the largest variation in virus diversity occurred between individuals. However, virus populations among participants who ate the same diet became more similar over time.

"The study provides a new window on the vast viral populations that live in the human gut, demonstrates that they vary radically between individuals, and shows that dietary changes can affect not just bacterial populations but also viral populations," Bushman said.

This is an interesting study, because we know how important diet is to the overall health.  What we eat affects our physiology in action, and in environment.  In fact, if we think of our body as an ecosystem as much as an individual organism (not unlike the earth, or a galaxy for that matter!), we can see the impact our food choices make on the environment and the organisms within us.

It is tempting to think of all viruses and bacteria as bad or undesirable, but we live in symbiosis with these microorganisms--they are as important to us as digesters (among other things) as we are to them as food and lodgings.  By controlling the substances you put into your body, you are essentially controlling pollution in your internal atmosphere.  If you regularly pollute your inner environment--and not just with what you eat, mind you, but with what you breathe, snort, inject, whatever--you not only effect the intestinal flora, but every cell in your body.

Listen, natural health advocates have been saying this  for years: Watch what you put into your body.  Give it wholesome foods, natural juices and fresh, clean drinking water, and your body will respond by remaining an oasis--lush, fertile, and full of life.  Pollute it with garbage and that's what it will become--a cesspool.  It will become that to such a degree that it will change you, as it will every cell in your body...and it will also change the life forms residing within your body, because you are an ecosystem, a planet if you will.  Treat your planet as if it's your body, and vice versa--and you and your viruses should live in mutual satisfaction for millions of microbe generations.

Barking Up the Wrong Tree

What the heck are they doing in NYC? Has that city gone mad? Is the Big Apple now the food fascist capital of the world? When a society believes that its citizens can’t think for themselves they start to pass silly laws, like making trans-fats illegal. Or their newest one - requiring some restaurants to list calorie counts on their menu boards next to the price.

Now I understand the rationale behind what they're doing – I mean for God’s sake some people act as if they don’t have a sensible brain cell in their noggin – but to impose this kind of regulation on the public and the food service industry is just ridiculous.

I just don't believe that this is the answer to get people healthy. On the contrary; when you start forcing businesses to prepare food in a particular way you are removing the responsibility from the consumer. And I'm sorry but that's not in the public's best interest. What next? Tell them when to exercise, when to get vaccinated (this is actually happening to some degree right now, especially in Texas), when to have sex? Gimme a break!

Pulling the responsibility away from the consumer is actually disempowering her. What it says is, "We know you are a mindless sheep, you stuff yourself full of unhealthy food and drink, and since you can't control yourself, we're just going to make it unavailable. And as far as what we will offer you, here's how many calories it has, Ding Dong." Yeah, that's the answer.

Well, what about me. I'm not obese. I don't overindulge in Whoppers (BTW, only 10% of the city's restaurants - read: national fast-food chains - are required to abide by this regulation). I happen to enjoy an occasional trans-fat laden McDonald's French Fry. Why do I have to suffer? Because your fellow American can't control himself, that's why.

I got news for you NYC: people who don't care for their health aren't going to care for it more by imposing regulations. People care for their health when they value it, plain and simple.

And it's a slippery slope too. What next? Can't have ice cream - it's gotta be frozen yogurt. Can't smoke cigars anywhere except in Cuba...oh, but you're American so you can't go there, sorry. Oh no, can't run marathons or box or play football - heavens forbid, you might get hurt.

Listen, I'm all for taking care of one's health. But I know for certain, that it's got to be a part of your consciousness. Removing the pleasures of life - and yeah, for some people (like me), fast food is nothing more than an occasional pleasure - is not going to make people value their health more. I think it will do the opposite. I think it actually will turn people into mindless sheep. Baaaaah!!!